Finn Partners Teams Up with Belong.Life, World's Largest Cancer-Focused Social Platform, to Improve Patient Care Through Communications

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01 Jun, 2018, 14:30 GMT

Data from Real-World Belong Online Analyses with Pancreatic Cancer Patients Uncover Therapy Concerns and Preferences

JERUSALEM, June 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- People with cancer increasingly are turning to self-directed, digital-health communication tools as an essential, "real-world" component of their treatment journey, which can lead to improved care and quality of life. Belong.Life has just released its real-world data survey designed to evaluate, from the patient's perspective, the fatigue effect on their treatment, as well as their emotional and physical state.

Click here to view the full results of the Belong.Life Patient Impact Survey.

The survey was created in a digital format with 13 questions and sent to a random group of patients that are members in the Belong community. More than 500 patients completed the survey anonymously. The data were assessed using a mathematical model and machine learning analysis that revealed correlations not evident to other analyses.

Finn Partners, the 2018 "Healthcare Agency of the Year" by The Holmes Report, is teaming up with their client, Belong.Life, the world's largest cancer-focused social platform, to expand the digital health startup's ability to reach patients, providers and other advocacy groups across cancer communities.

"Communication is part of the treatment journey, especially among cancer patients seeking information about their diagnoses, ongoing and evolving treatment options, available support, as well as information about rapidly evolving scientific advances and experimental therapies," said Eliran Malki, Co-founder and CEO of Belong. "This new survey of more than 500 cancer patients draws upon the Belong social network app and shows that effective patient-physician and patient-patient communication of treatment-related symptoms and solutions, such as fatigue, can help patients stay on course with better quality of life during the duration of their therapy."

"FINN has long recognized that communication plays a vital role in helping people learn about their health, and when necessary, manage diseases such as cancer," said Gil Bashe, managing partner and Global Health Practice head at FINN Partners. "Clearly, cancer patients and their families see emotional, physical and clinical indicators as marking the success or failure of therapy– it's vital we see feelings and therapy as aligned. I'm proud that our team in Israel is working closely with Belong.Life."

Malki continued, "Belong.Life is well positioned within the cancer community's health ecosystem to expand awareness about medical product innovations and enable access to 'real-world' support of patients' emotional experiences and countless other practical needs. Due to our app technology and great community, the survey took approximately a week to conclude and now, we're sharing data back with our Belongers and the global community to help more patients. Many of the Belongers' said, 'I wish I knew about this before' and that's exactly why we are doing it because everyone can share something that will benefit others. We are committed to giving a voice to cancer patients and their support networks, and we're privileged to be part of the treatment journey to help those facing cancer-related issues."

New survey: "Information must be part of the care."
In a new survey, nearly two-thirds (58%) of patients and caregivers said cancer-related fatigue was a key source of their anxiety. That emotional burden, if not discussed with care teams, can interfere with patients' therapy and quality of life, according to Dr. Daniel A. Vorobiof, past Medical Oncology Director of The Sandton Oncology Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, and active participant in the Belong Community.

According to Dr. Vorobiof, "These survey data reinforce that information must be part of the care. That knowledge, coupled with a connection to others experiencing similar challenges, will translate into inspired and aware patients who see symptoms as a point-in-time and not part of the cycle of endless despair."

Click here to view the full results of the Belong.Life Patient Impact Survey.

Belong.Life to Present Patient-Reported Outcomes Study at 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting
Patient-reported outcomes (PRO) address a critical need in value assessment of cancer treatments, outcomes, costs and quality of life (QOL). Patient voice can provide insights that are not available from clinical trials. In this study, Belong.Life used PRO from its patient-powered network (PPN) to explore the patient journey and treatment preferences of metastatic pancreatic cancer patients in Israel.

In the study, Belong.Life conducted a retrospective analysis using real-world evidence (RWE) and PRO collected from Israeli users of the Belong PPN. Data included PRO and medical records provided voluntarily and anonymously. The treatment journeys of 75 patients from Israel, diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer between March 2015 and December 2017 were mapped.

Data from patients using the Belong PPN provide detailed insight into the treatment journeys of metastatic pancreatic cancer patients in Israel, the three first-line treatment prevalence and the following lines of treatment. Continuous evaluation of RWE and PRO from the Belong PPN would allow comparative effectiveness research of cancer treatments and lead to improved evidence-based care and patients' QOL.

About Belong
Belong provides improved access to life-saving information, including real-time forums with doctors, professionals and other patients. Belongers participating in the global virtual community also receive updates on new clinical trials and suggestions on how to address social and professional issues. Belong has partnerships with the American Cancer Society and Colorectal Cancer Canada, and is currently seeking additional cancer advocacy group collaborations across the world.

Founded in 2015 by noted entrepreneurs Eliran Malki, Irad Deutsch and Ohad Rubin each having lost relatives to cancer, Belong is a free patient navigation app that gives voice to cancer patients and their support network to explore and better manage their treatment journey and improve quality of life. The Belong global community is a proprietary big data platform and Machine Learning technology that enables people to connect, receive and share clinical information anonymously and discuss privately life issues of urgency. Today, Belong is the world's largest digital cancer patient platform and is in partnership with the American Cancer Society, Colorectal Cancer Canada and others. For more information, please visit: http://belong.life.

Download link – http://belong.life/download

About Finn Partners, Inc.
Founded in 2011 on the core principles of innovation and collaborative partnership, Finn Partners has more than tripled in size in six years, becoming one of the fastest growing independent public relations agencies in the world. The full-service marketing and communications company's record setting pace is a result of organic growth and integrating new companies and new people into the Finn Partners world through a common philosophy. With more than 600 professionals, Finn Partners provides its clients with global access and capabilities in the U.S., Europe and Asia, in addition to PROI Worldwide. headquartered in New York, Finn Partners' other offices are located in: Chicago, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Frankfurt, Jerusalem, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Nashville, Paris, Portland, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore and Washington, D.C. Find us at finnpartners.com and please follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @finnpartners.